View source for Pearson College UWC

{{For|schools of a similar name|Lester B. Pearson High School (disambiguation){{!}}Lester B. Pearson High School}}
{{distinguish|Pearson College London}}
{{Infobox school
 | name                    = Lester B. Pearson United World College of the Pacific
 | logo                    = Pearson College UWC Logo 2016.jpg
 | alt                     = Pearson College UWC
 | caption                 = 
 | motto                   = Making education a force to unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future
 | location                = 
 | city                    = [[Metchosin]]
 | state                   = [[British Columbia]]
 | country                 = Canada
 | coordinates             = {{Coord|48|20|48|N|123|33|51|W|display=inline,title}}
 | type                    = [[International Baccalaureate]] World School
 | patron                  = 
 | established             = 1974
 | opened                  = 
 | closed                  = 
 | district                = 
 | superintendent          = 
 | principal               = 
 | head_name               = President & Head of College
 | head                    = Jason McBride
 | faculty                 = 
 | grades                  = 
 | enrollment              = 200
 | campus_size             = 
 | area                    = 
 | campus_type             = 
 | colours                 = 
 | mascot                  = 
 | team_name               = 
 | publication             = Pearson eNews
 | newspaper               = 
 | communities             = 
 | affiliations            = 
 | website                 = {{url|www.pearsoncollege.ca}}
 | feeders                 = 
 | language                = 
}}
'''Lester B. Pearson United World College of the Pacific''' (also referred to as '''Pearson College UWC''') is one of eighteen schools and colleges around the world in the [[United World Colleges]] movement,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://uwc.org/education/schools-colleges|title=Schools like no other {{!}} United World Colleges|website=uwc.org|language=en|access-date=2017-05-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160722090437/https://www.uwc.org/education/schools-colleges|archive-date=2016-07-22|url-status=dead}}</ref> located on [[Vancouver Island]], [[British Columbia]], Canada. It is named after the late [[Canadian Prime Minister]] [[Lester Bowles Pearson]], winner of the 1957 [[Nobel Peace Prize]], and an early champion of the college. The mission of the UWC movement and of the school is to ''"make education a force to unite people, nations and cultures for peace and a sustainable future"''.

More than 100 students are selected for each annual intake for the two-year program. In 2023-24, students represented over 100 countries and territories.<ref>{{cite web |title=Lester B. Pearson College of the Pacific |url=https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/lester-b-pearson-college-of-the-pacific |access-date=2012-11-03 |publisher=[[The Canadian Encyclopedia]] |archive-date=2017-06-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170608144816/http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/lester-b-pearson-college-of-the-pacific/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The college offers the [[IB Diploma Programme|International Baccalaureate diploma]], and the Climate Action Leadership Diploma program, an IB Career-related Program. Both pathways incorporate experiential education approaches for students generally aged 16 to 19.

==History==
[[Lester B. Pearson]], Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and former prime minister of Canada, was the driving force behind the founding of Pearson College UWC. After retiring from public life, Pearson became interested in the United World Colleges movement. At that time, only one United World College existed—[[Atlantic College]] in Wales, established in 1962. Pearson visited there in 1969 and met with students and faculty. He came away convinced that there must be more such colleges around the world and, in particular, one on Canada's west coast. He envisioned that:

<blockquote>“Students will be welcomed without regard to race, religion, or politics and we intend to establish scholarships so that the students who attend the college will be from all levels of society and will be genuine representatives of their own peoples. This system… could become a revolutionary force in international education.”</blockquote>

Pearson became honorary chairman of a committee formed to build what was to be known as the College of the Pacific. He worked tirelessly in the early days of the planning process, but, died in December 1972, just as the project was getting underway. Soon after his death, it was decided that the college would be renamed ''Lester B. Pearson College of the Pacific'', as a living memorial to his legacy. [[John Lang Nichol]] was chosen as initial chairman of the board of trustees and a major fundraising effort began, with over four million dollars raised, 83 per cent coming from individuals, corporations, and foundations, both domestic and foreign, and the remaining 17 per cent from governments around the world. Ground broke on the college's construction on 25 September 1973.

Over the next year, Jack Matthews, the founding director of the college, recruited a faculty of men and women from Canada and abroad and, on 25 September 1974, the inaugural cohort of 100 students arrived. An official opening the following year was attended by [[Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma|the Earl Mountbatten of Burma]], then President of United World Colleges International Council,<ref name=PT>{{citation| url=https://pearsoncollege.ca/wp-content/uploads/Pearson-Times-Spring-2010.pdf| title=Prince of Wales Visits Victoria| issue=Spring 2010| journal=Pearson Times| page=1| accessdate=31 October 2023| archive-date=1 November 2023| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231101025403/https://pearsoncollege.ca/wp-content/uploads/Pearson-Times-Spring-2010.pdf| url-status=live}}</ref> and [[Jean Chrétien]].<ref>{{Citation| url=http://www.pearsoncollege.ca/p/?pgn=Us&subpgn=OurStory&pn=VisualHistory| title=Pearson College UWC–Canada's school for students of exceptional promise and potential worldwide| publisher=Pearson College United World College| accessdate=7 November 2016| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170624205854/http://www.pearsoncollege.ca/p/?pgn=Us&subpgn=OurStory&pn=VisualHistory| archive-date=24 June 2017}}</ref>

Mountbatten's great-nephew, Prince Charles, Prince of Wales (now [[Charles III]], [[Monarchy of Canada|King of Canada]]), who also served as President of UWC, established the Prince of Wales Scholarship and would visit the college again between 30 March and 3 April 1980 and 29 to 31 October 1982 and,<ref>{{citation| url=https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/6-times-king-charles-iii-visited-bc| last=Crawford| first=Tiffany| title=Photos: A look back at the six times King Charles III visited B.C. as a prince| date=9 September 2022| newspaper=Vancouver Sun| accessdate=1 November 2023| archive-date=9 September 2022| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220909153118/https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/6-times-king-charles-iii-visited-bc| url-status=live}}</ref> in 2009, met with then-Director David Hawley and four Prince of Wales Scholarship recipients, one each from Kenya, Romania, Nicaragua, and Canada.<ref name=PT/>

Up to 200 students have since attended each year; approximately 4,400 students have graduated from Pearson College UWC and alumni have built careers in a variety of sectors and professions in every corner of the globe. Pearson College UWC continues to be funded through individuals, alumni, corporations, foundations, select provincial and civic governments in Canada, and some UWC donors.

== Academics and administration ==
[[File:East House – Pearson College UWC.jpg|thumb|left|Walkway leading to QOL¸EW̱ House, one of Pearson College's residential buildings]]The College's main academic curriculum follows the [[International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme]] – Pearson was the first school in Canada to adopt the IB Diploma Programme.{{CN|date=May 2025}} Students are also required to participate in community-oriented services, cultural activities, and physical fitness. A highlight of the academic year is the student-driven, professional-level dance, music and cultural show, "One World", which attracts audiences from [[Victoria, British Columbia|Victoria]] and surrounding communities.
[[File:Floating Building, Pearson UWC.jpg|thumb|Marine Science Laboratory at Pearson College]]

===Admission===
All UWC students are selected based on merit, promise and potential. Each of the nearly 160 United World College National Committees makes recommendations for admission to UWC schools independently and according to their individual selection procedures. Admission is competitive and is deliberately intended to reflect diversity in all respects. Sponsorship to fund scholarships that help make it possible for more students to attend Pearson comes from a variety of organizations, foundations, governments and individual donors. A limited number of students are selected through the UWC Global Selections Program.

=== Administration ===
On August 1, 2023, Canadian Jason McBride was officially appointed president and head of college.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Walker |first=Andrew |date=2023-08-01 |title=Meet Our New President and Head and His Family {{!}} Pearson College UWC |url=https://www.pearsoncollege.ca/meet-our-new-president-and-head-and-his-family/ |access-date=2023-09-13 |website=www.pearsoncollege.ca |language=en-US |archive-date=2023-09-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230921090355/https://www.pearsoncollege.ca/meet-our-new-president-and-head-and-his-family/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Campus==
[[File:Floating Building – Pearson College UWC.jpg|thumb|Floating Building – Pearson College UWC]]<!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:Pearson College Docks.jpg|thumb|left|The waterfront at the Pearson College campus]] -->
The college is located on the shores of [[Pedder Bay]], near [[Victoria, British Columbia]] on [[Vancouver Island]], on the traditional territory of the Sc'ianew (Beecher Bay) First Nation. The college provides an excellent location for environmental studies thanks to the surrounding woodlands and the nearby [[Race Rocks Marine Protected Area]], an ecological conservation area maintained by the college. Pearson works in partnership with BC Parks, the Canadian Coast Guard and several other committed parties to ensure a resident volunteer ecoguardian is always present on Race Rocks.

The college has five residence houses that accommodate all students in dorm rooms and, in a connected apartment, resident "houseparents." Houseparents can include some faculty and staff of the college. All student residence houses accommodate male and female students on separate floors and are equipped with a dayroom for study and relaxation. Campus facilities also include a large dining hall, an indoor swimming pool and fitness facility, a large library with study and classroom areas, a student commons building, two theatre-style seating lecture halls as well as traditional classrooms, labs and a floating marine sciences building.

The college's proximity to Pedder Bay allows a broad range of waterfront programs. A fleet of sail boats, kayaks, canoes, and [[scuba diving]] equipment is also available for supervised student use. Students can access activities only after appropriate training.

==Graduates==
[[File:Pearson College, Looking out Towards Olympic Mountains.jpg|thumb|View from the Community Lawn of the college. In the distance are the [[Olympic Mountains]].]]
Recent graduates have placed in some of the world's top universities, and some alumni have become notable leaders in human rights, international development, charitable organizations, business, law, science and other fields.<ref>{{cite web
 | title      = Alumni Universities
 | url      = http://www.pearsoncollege.ca/p/?pgn=Alumni&subpgn=Lists&pn=Lists
 | publisher      = Lester B. Pearson College of the Pacific
 | access-date      = September 1, 2013
 | archive-date      = August 28, 2013
 | archive-url      = https://web.archive.org/web/20130828113705/http://www.pearsoncollege.ca/p/?pgn=Alumni&subpgn=Lists&pn=Lists
 | url-status      = live
 }}</ref> Students from Pearson go on to study in post-secondary institutions around the world including, for example, institutions such as [[Brown University]], [[Harvard University]], [[Mount Allison University]], [[McGill University]], [[Oxford University|The University of Oxford]], [[Columbia University]], [[University of California]] (campuses incl. [[University of California, Berkeley|Berkeley]], [[University of California, Santa Cruz|Santa Cruz]], [[University of California, Santa Barbara|Santa Barbara]], [[University of California, San Diego|San Diego]]), [[King's College London]], [[Sciences Po]], the [[University of Toronto]], as well as [[New York University]].<ref name=pc1>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pearsoncollege.ca/its-about-being-brave-part-2/|title = It's About Being Brave…and Accepted – Part 2 &#124; Pearson College UWC}}</ref>

Graduates have been awarded scholarships after leaving the college, including the [[Gates Cambridge Scholarship]], the [[Knight-Hennessy Scholars]] program, and the [[Schwarzman Scholars]] program. 15 graduates have been awarded [[Rhodes Scholarships]], while 17 graduating students have been selected as [[Loran Scholars Foundation|Loran Scholars]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Loran Scholars: Lester B. Pearson United World College of the Pacific |url=http://loranscholar.ca/loran-scholars/?search=Lester+B+Pearson+United+World+College+of+the+Pacific&x=0&y=0 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140413164649/http://loranscholar.ca/loran-scholars/?search=Lester+B+Pearson+United+World+College+of+the+Pacific&x=0&y=0 |archive-date=April 13, 2014 |access-date=April 1, 2014 |publisher=Canadian Merit Scholarship Foundation}}</ref>. After graduation, alumni are eligible to participate in the [[Shelby Davis Scholarship|Davis United World College Scholars Program]], which funds undergraduate study based on need at select universities in the United States.

== Notable alumni ==
* [[Evan Adams]], Canadian actor and Deputy Provincial Health Officer for British Columbia
* [[Douglas Alexander]], British [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] (MP) and [[Shadow Foreign Secretary]]; from 2007 until 2010, [[Secretary of State for International Development]] in [[Gordon Brown]]'s cabinet<ref name="guardian">{{cite web
 | title      = Douglas Alexander: Electoral history and profile
 | url      = https://www.theguardian.com/politics/person/48/douglas-alexander
 | work      = [[The Guardian]]
 | access-date      = 2011-01-31
 | archive-date      = 2024-07-28
 | archive-url      = https://web.archive.org/web/20240728221627/https://www.theguardian.com/politics
 | url-status      = live
 }}</ref>
* [[Wendy Alexander]], [[Member of the Scottish Parliament]] and leader of the [[Scottish Labour Party]] in 2007–2008
* [[Shauna Aminath]], Maldives Minister of the Environment, Climate Change, and Technology<ref>{{cite web |date=2012-02-08 |title=Maldives ex-president Mohamed Nasheed was 'forced out' |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-16945764 |access-date=2012-11-03 |publisher=[[BBC News Online]] |archive-date=2012-02-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120211134900/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-16945764 |url-status=live }}</ref>
* [[Nicolette Bethel]], Bahamian [[anthropologist]], professor in the School of Social Sciences at the [[University of the Bahamas]], and former director of culture in [[the Bahamas]].
*[[Oluwatoyin Asojo]], Nigerian scientist 
*[[Menzie Chinn]], professor of public affairs and economics at [[University of Wisconsin–Madison]].
* [[Jane Clarke (poet)|Jane Clarke]], poet
* [[Paul Colton]], bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross<ref>{{cite web
 |title       = The Diocese of Cork, Cloyne and Ross – The Bishop
 |url         = http://www.cork.anglican.org/people/bishop.html
 |publisher   = [[Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross]]
 |access-date  = 2010-06-02
 |url-status  = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20110722143902/http://www.cork.anglican.org/people/bishop.html
 |archive-date = 2011-07-22
}}</ref>
* [[Nicholas Dawes]], executive director of [[The City (website)|The City]]
* [[Louise Edwards (historian)|Louise Patricia Edwards]], emeritus professor of Chinese history at the [[University of New South Wales]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Emeritus Professor Louise Patricia Edwards |url=https://research.unsw.edu.au/people/emeritus-professor-louise-patricia-edwards |access-date=2021-03-03 |archive-date=2021-01-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210119062947/https://research.unsw.edu.au/people/emeritus-professor-louise-patricia-edwards |url-status=live }}</ref>
* [[Anne Enright]], 2007 [[Man Booker Prize]]-winning novelist
* [[Lene Espersen]], former [[Denmark|Danish]] [[Minister of Foreign Affairs (Denmark)|minister of foreign affairs]] and former [[deputy prime minister]]<ref>.{{cite web
 |last1       = Astrup
 |first1      = Soren
 |first2      = Rikke
 |last2       = Egelund
 |first3      = Elisabeth
 |last3       = Astrup
 |title       = Enstemmig opbakning til Espersen
 |url         = http://politiken.dk/politik/article564782.ece
 |language    = da
 |publisher   = [[Politiken]]
 |date        = 2008-09-09
 |access-date  = 2012-11-03
 |url-status  = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20080912035326/http://politiken.dk/politik/article564782.ece
 |archive-date = 2008-09-12
}}</ref>
*[[Meera Gandhi]], founder and chief executive officer of The Giving Back Foundation 
*[[Massimiliano Gioni]], director of exhibitions at the [[New Museum]], curator of 55th [[Venice Biennale]], art director of [http://www.fondazionenicolatrussardi.com/ Fondazione Nicola Trussardi]
*[[Tamar Herzog]], Monroe Gutman professor of Latin American affairs at [[Harvard University]], affiliated faculty at [[Harvard Law School]]
*[[Nakkiah Lui]], aboriginal Australian writer and actor, [[New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards|New South Wales Premier's Literary Award]]-winning playwright, co-writer and star of [[Black Comedy (TV series)|Black Comedy.]]
* [[Mira Murati]], former CTO and interim CEO of [[OpenAI]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ermira Murati {{!}} Davis UWC Scholars |url=https://www.davisuwcscholars.org/scholars/2011/m/node/2059 |access-date=2023-11-17 |website=www.davisuwcscholars.org |archive-date=2023-04-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230416235629/https://www.davisuwcscholars.org/scholars/2011/m/node/2059 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=OpenAI announces leadership transition |url=https://openai.com/blog/openai-announces-leadership-transition |access-date=2023-11-17 |website=openai.com |language=en-US |archive-date=2023-11-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231117212221/https://openai.com/blog/openai-announces-leadership-transition |url-status=live }}</ref>
* [[Latif Nasser]], co-host of [[Radiolab]], and host of the [[Netflix]] series [[Connected (2020 TV series)|Connected]]
*[[Fionnuala Ní Aoláin]], Irish academic lawyer specialising in human rights law and founder and associate director of the [[Transitional Justice Institute]] at the [[University of Ulster]]
*[[John Ofori-Tenkorang]], [[Ghana|Ghanaian]] public servant, investment banker, engineer and academic
*[[Jenny Ohlsson]], Swedish diplomat, ambassador to [[Rwanda]]
*[[Todd Sampson]], chief executive of Leo Burnett Australia and television personality on [[Gruen Planet]]
*[[Peter Sands (banker)|Peter Sands]], executive director of [[The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria]]; former CEO, [[Standard Chartered Bank]]<ref>{{cite web
 |title        = Peter Sands: The banker who's still smiling
 |url          = http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/movers_and_shakers/article4837148.ece
 |publisher    = [[The Sunday Times]]
 |date         = 2008-09-28
 |access-date  = 2010-09-18
 |archive-date = 2012-07-07
 |archive-url  = https://archive.today/20120707212604/http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/movers_and_shakers/article4837148.ece
 |url-status   = dead
}}</ref>
* [[Craig Scott (politician)|Craig Scott]], Canadian [[Member of Parliament (Canada)|Member of Parliament]] (MP) and former professor of law at [[Osgoode Hall Law School]]
* Jostein Solheim, former CEO of [[Ben & Jerry's]]
* [[Richard Underhill]], Canadian Jazz saxophonist and [[Juno Award]] winner
* {{ill|Federico Varese|it}}, professor of criminology, head of Sociology Department, Oxford University<ref>{{cite web|title=Books By Alumni|url=http://www.pearsoncollege.ca/p/?pgn=Alumni&subpgn=Lists&pn=Lists|work=Alumni Lists|publisher=Pearson College|access-date=22 July 2012|archive-date=18 July 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120718031357/http://www.pearsoncollege.ca/p/?pgn=Alumni&subpgn=Lists&pn=Lists|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Professor Federico Varese|url=http://www.sociology.ox.ac.uk/academic-staff/federico-varese.html|publisher=University of Oxford|access-date=28 Dec 2013|archive-date=30 December 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131230233815/http://www.sociology.ox.ac.uk/academic-staff/federico-varese.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[Peter M. Willcock]], justice of the [[British Columbia Court of Appeal#Current justices|British Columbia Court of Appeal]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=Supreme Court - Members of the Supreme Court |url=https://www.bccourts.ca/supreme_court/about_the_supreme_court/Judges_and_Masters_of_the_Supreme_Court.aspx |access-date=2024-03-18 |website=www.bccourts.ca |archive-date=2019-01-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190108203055/https://www.courts.gov.bc.ca/supreme_court/about_the_supreme_court/Judges_and_Masters_of_the_Supreme_Court.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref>
* [[Abiodun Williams]], president of [[The Hague Institute for Global Justice]]
*[[Yuen Pau Woo]], president and CEO of the [[Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada]]

== References ==

{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* [http://www.pearsoncollege.ca Official site]
 
{{United World Colleges}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:High schools in British Columbia]]
[[Category:International Baccalaureate schools in British Columbia]]
[[Category:Educational institutions established in 1974]]
[[Category:1974 establishments in British Columbia]]